Back when the numbers were very low, we fully supported all of the measures that were being contemplated at the time. We had to get this population rebuilt. There were a lot of unknowns at the time. Stopping the commercial fishery—would that do it? It really did, but we brought it back without closing angling for any species in that spawning area. People were still allowed to fish for salmon and trout during the spawning time the bass were there. So I find it ironic that when the population gets up to 300,000 plus that now we decide to even close the spawning grounds to all angling. It just doesn't make sense. Do I support that? Absolutely. If that population's going down and it needs some extra help, close the angling. I fully support that, but not at this stage; it just doesn't make sense.
On April 1st, 2019. See this statement in context.